Chennai, Nov 10:
The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has come under intense political fire from the opposition following two separate controversies involving its legislatorsāthe alleged physical assault of a resident by Assembly Deputy Speaker and Thuraiyur MLA M. Ravisankar, and allegations of misconduct by Kallakurichi MLA C. Arul Vignesh toward a woman district collector.
The Thuraiyur incident triggered severe public indignation after viral video footage showed Deputy Speaker Ravisankar raining blows on a resident identified as Karthik Kumar, who had approached the legislator to submit a petition regarding severe drinking water shortages and uncollected garbage in his locality. The victim, who noted that he had voted for Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, was later seen seated beside the MLA in a second video claiming he had merely tripped and fallen.
However, upon being admitted to the Tiruchy Government Hospital for medical attention, Karthik Kumar recanted the video retraction, alleging that local police and the MLAās supporters coerced him through six takes under duress. Karthik Kumar alleged: “After the Deputy Speaker assaulted me, I went to the Thuraiyur GH for treatment and explained that Ravisankar had attacked me. However, the hospital staff neither recorded his name nor provided treatment. Suddenly, a police inspector arrived and threatened to arrest me for creating a ruckus in front of the Deputy Speaker. The inspector then asked me to accompany him to Ravisankar’s house, where I was forced to speak as though nothing had happened after he threatened me and my family with dire consequences.”
Condemning the incident, BJP leader and ‘We the Leaders’ founder K. Annamalai questioned the role of law enforcement in aiding the cover-up, stating: “Instead of delivering justice to a person who was allegedly assaulted, what kind of law and order is it to force him to say that no attack ever took place? Power is not an instrument to suppress the voice of the people. Nor is the police force an entity meant to act according to the whims of those in power.” He demanded an impartial investigation and strict legal action against those involved.
Concurrently, DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi launched a scathing attack on the administration over reports that Kallakurichi MLA C. Arul Vignesh sent obscene messages to the Kallakurichi District Collector and visited her residence in an inebriated state, necessitating the deployment of a personal security officer (PSO) for the senior IAS officer.
Questioning the state’s administrative decorum, Kanimozhi asked: “How can the Chief Secretary ensure the safety of the District Collector merely by providing a separate security officer? Chief Minister, what is your answer to this issue?” She asserted that when top district administrators face harassment from ruling legislators, it signals an alarming breakdown in governance and law and order.